Do Street Names Matter?

Chicago has erupted in controversy over the potential naming of a street after a Black Panther; what have street names meant to different people in different cities?

1 minute read

March 29, 2006, 6:00 AM PST

By David Gest


"It's the proposal that a stretch of Monroe Street be renamed for slain Black Panther Fred Hampton, and it ignited the passions of those who see Hampton as an activist who organized West Side food banks and health services, versus those who remember him as a firebrand who espoused violence toward police.

The tense debate over the honorary street name may be resolved by a City Council vote as early as Wednesday, according to City Hall insiders.

Clearly, street names are not just a little thing."

Sunday, March 26, 2006 in The Chicago Tribune

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